


Bleed Magic

by smittenbritain



Series: Special Requests [4]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Blind Character, Familiars, Hand Jobs, M/M, Sorcerers, Spells & Enchantments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-02-07
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:59:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22599739
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenbritain/pseuds/smittenbritain
Summary: Alfredo is a blind merchant, who sells potions and spells to those with magical tastes, and simple trinkets for those who don't know the real thing even exists. He takes a man into his employ who has an unusual glamour - one from birth that charms almost everyone he meets, whether he wants to use his gift or not.It's a good thing Alfredo's always been a little more resistant to magic. He still falls for Jeremy anyway.
Relationships: Alfredo Diaz/Jeremy Dooley
Series: Special Requests [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1399234
Comments: 16
Kudos: 109





	Bleed Magic

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rebel_raven](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rebel_raven/gifts).



> This fic is a special request for Cece! Thank you for requesting this fic!

Alfredo's shop was the kind you would find in a little town, down a side road with all of the other interesting little sellers. He kept a strange range of knick-knacks and goodies, from the simpler potion ingredients to complicated spells he’d woven himself. While it was fun to have some more mundane things - things even non-magical folk could enjoy - Alfredo treated his potion and spell crafting like an art, one that he thoroughly enjoyed and protected fiercely. 

It was just one of the handful of reasons why Alfredo worked by himself in his shop. He was his only employee, and for the most part, he liked it that way.

Having said that, it did make things a little more difficult for him around the place. He only had one pair of hands, and his eyes often liked to laze around on the windowsill behind him, dozing in a patch of warm sun. It meant that he was simply left with what he could feel and what he could decipher from a few blurry shadows, which wasn’t a huge problem for Alfredo really, but it was frustrating when, for example, he was trying to count the day’s takings.

“Wraith,” he murmured, nudging at his familiar with his mind. “C’mon.”

For his efforts, he received a quiet chirp, and then the cat’s eyes slitted open again, granting Alfredo with clear sight. The angle was off - he saw his own back, and his own disapproving frown when he turned to shoot one Wraith's way. A sense of faint amusement pulsed across their connection in response. 

“You can sleep when we’ve closed,” he said, turning back to the task at hand; Wraith shifted sideways, lounging further to the right to see the register and the notes scattered across the counter. It was an odd view, given that Alfredo could still see faint impressions of his own, and it forced him to focus more on what Wraith could see, and not so much on what he could make out with his own eyes. With his attention properly shifted, Alfredo returned to counting, muttering under his breath as he went. 

Across from him, the door creaked open, and the bell overhead tinkled. “We’re closed,” Alfredo said. Wraith's eyes stayed glued to Alfredo's hands. “Sorry.”

“It’s me,” Geoff called. “Relax.”

Alfredo's shoulders drooped with silent relief. He’d had enough of people today. “Hey. Make sure you lock the door behind you.” He waited until he heard the telltale click, and then continued. “What brings you here then?”

“Can’t I just visit my friend?” 

He listened as Geoff moved around the room, treading a familiar path: first, he came over to scratch Wraith behind the ears - the cat closed his eyes momentarily to enjoy it - and then he moved to grab the extra stool behind the counter to take a seat. He didn’t try to get in Alfredo's way, which was something he thoroughly appreciated; he simply settled down, like he was at home, ready to chat the evening away. 

“Of course you can visit,” Alfredo huffed, a smile on his lips. “You’re always welcome, as long as you’re not being a dick to my customers.”

Geoff snickered. “That was one time, and they were a dick first.” There was a creak as Geoff leaned back against the wall behind him. “How’s that glamour treating you?”

Unable to help himself, Alfredo reached up to touch his eyes. He could feel the raised ridges of scars, spanning from his brows down to his upper cheeks, though through Wraith's eyes, he only saw himself touching what appeared to be perfectly unmarked skin. Brown eyes blinked back at Geoff with certainty rather than the unfocused state Alfredo had to put himself in to share Wraith's vision. A tingle whispered over his fingertips as Alfredo lowered his hand again; it was the lingering touches of the glamour, dropping away from his hand after he stopped touching it.

“It’s working well,” Alfredo said, turning his attention back to the cash on the counter. “Nobody’s noticed, not that I’m aware of. Someone asked how I’d miraculously healed.”

Geoff raised an eyebrow. “What’d you say?”

“I told ‘em it was rude to ask.”

“With that many words?”

Alfredo snorted. “I mean, I _wanted_ to tell them to fuck off, but I do have a business to run.”

“Fair point,” Geoff chuckled. He let the silence rest for a beat as Alfredo finished piling up the last few notes, and when he moved to set them back into the register, he spoke up again. “Hey, did you ever think about hiring someone else around here?”

“Once or twice,” Alfredo said, shrugging. “Why?”

“I just… know a guy,” Geoff said slowly, “and he’s having a little trouble finding something solid, so I figured I’d ask. Doesn’t hurt to try, right?”

Alfredo turned to lean against the counter, his hip cocked to prop himself up against it. “Okay, but why’s he having trouble holding down a job? I don’t want anyone coming in and making things even more difficult around here.”

“He’s… well, I don’t know what he is exactly, but he’s not mundane,” Geoff said. “He’s got a kind of natural glamour, but the sort that people would pay a _lot_ of money for. It draws people in, and more often than not, fucks him over.”

“He doesn’t try to use it to his advantage?”

“Nope.” Geoff popped the ‘p’ sound; Wraith's ears flicked in mild irritation. “He never has. He’s the most genuine, honest guy I know, and he just drew the short straw when it came to being magical. You’re pretty good with resisting magic and spells and stuff, so I was wondering if you’d wanna give him a shot.” 

Alfredo reached up to rub his forehead with a sigh. “I don’t know, Geoff. Resistance or not-”

“You do remember how hard it was just to apply _your_ glamour, right?” Geoff interrupted, nodding towards him. “Couldn’t get the fucking thing to stick.”

Despite himself, Alfredo laughed. “Of course I remember. I know I got knocked on the head, but my sight was the only thing to go, not my memory.” He gently rapped his knuckles against his own temple. “Still doing okay up here.”

“Are you? ‘Cause you _still_ haven’t hired anyone to help out around the place.” 

Alfredo reached out to Wraith- not physically, but through their mental link, and Wraith reached back, connecting in a way that would almost be like holding hands. Wraith wasn’t quite a mundane cat; being Alfredo’s familiar came with a few perks, ones which included being able to articulate himself a little clearer, and understanding more than the average pet. Having Wraith around was, in essence, like having another person around all of the time, with the caveat that he couldn’t actually speak.

“I have company,” he said simply. “I have you, I have Jack, I have Wraith. Why else would I need to hire someone? Or, specifically, your mysterious glamour guy?”

“First of all, I think you’ll like him,” Geoff replied, holding up one finger. He continued counting them off as he listed more points. “Second, you could easily do with another pair of hands around here, even if you just use him to clean. Third, you could actually take a fucking break. _Fourth_ -”

“Alright, alright, I get it.” Alfredo flapped his hand at Geoff until he stopped. He looked far too smug for Alfredo's liking. “How about this: I’ll think about it.”

Geoff grinned at him. “You’ll let me know in the morning?”

Alfredo puffed out a quiet, amused breath. “Sure. I’ll let you know in the morning.”

“What if I sent him over to meet you instead of you just thinking about it?”

“Don’t push it.”

* * *

The truth was, Geoff was right. Alfredo did need another pair of hands in the shop, and it wasn’t just because of the points Geoff had made. 

As useful as the glamour was for keeping people off of his back, as grateful as Alfredo was for Geoff’s help in applying it, it was _exhausting_. 

The problem that he and Geoff had had in making it work had been in finding it an energy source; usually, the caster would be the one to donate the energy required to keep a spell going, but Geoff couldn’t exactly stay nearby constantly to do that. So, that meant that the source had to be Alfredo - but his natural resistance to spells only made things more difficult, and it had ended up requiring the two of them to delicately weave and edit the glamour as they applied it.

In the end, they had had to tightly secure it to Alfredo - so tightly that it constantly drained his energy as the day went on, trickling it away until he was left feeling like he’d run a marathon at the end of it. 

He felt the effects now as he trudged up the stairs, returning to his little flat above the shop. The weight in his bones dragged him down into his old couch; he sunk into the cushions with a groan, and he wasn’t entirely sure he’d be getting up again anytime soon. As Wraith hopped up onto his lap, purring and circling, Alfredo summoned enough energy to snap his fingers, and he felt the glamour over his eyes fade for now, waiting until he activated it again. He could feel it still sitting there, just under his skin, but it was easy to ignore.

He was so tired. He was tired in that bone deep way where it was all that he could think about, even when his stomach growled at him, reminding him of his depleted energy.

Wraith nudged at his mind. Alfredo cracked open one eye to look down at him. “What?”

An image came across their mental link, a face: Geoff’s. Wraith pressed it gently into Alfredo's thoughts, along with his claws against his belly.

Of course Wraith wanted him to accept Geoff’s offer. Alfredo sighed as he reached down to unhook Wraith's claws from his shirt. “You really think it’s a good idea? I thought we were doing pretty well by ourselves, you know.”

Alfredo could feel Wraith’s doubt as it echoed across their link. Along with it came a wordless reminder of Alfredo's fatigue, the shitty customers, the struggle to keep the place in order when he only had one pair of hands. Alfredo grunted and closed his eyes, frowning as he gently pressed the images back; he’d seen enough, he didn’t need Wraith to keep making the point. 

“Fine, fine,” he huffed, sliding a hand into his pocket for his phone. “But if it goes wrong, I’m blaming you.”

Wraith just chirruped, pleased with himself, and settled into a little ball on Alfredo's lap. As far as he was concerned, that was all he had to offer on the matter, and it was all that he _would_ offer. Once he’d made a decision, it was hard to persuade Wraith otherwise; he was much like a mundane cat in that respect, Alfredo thought.

He navigated his way to Geoff’s name in his contacts, and sighed as he started to dictate to his phone. “Tell him to be here at midday,” he said. “And stop teaming up with my familiar. He’s supposed to help me, not you.”

Wraith’s tail thwacked his thigh, but Alfredo only felt amusement through their bond. The message was simple and clear, though Alfredo elected to ignore it for now.

They _were_ helping him.

* * *

Despite his misgivings, Alfredo couldn’t help keeping an eye on the door as time passed the next morning. Wraith took up his usual perch on the windowsill behind Alfredo, but rather than take a nice nap just after his busy night of sleeping, he watched the door intently, ears pricked for the first sign of it opening. There were, of course, multiple false alarms as customers came and went, but Alfredo could tell when the real deal arrived.

The fact that Alfredo was more resistant to magic than most didn’t mean that he couldn’t feel it - it made his job pretty safe, really, since there was little risk of accidentally putting a spell on himself. He knew when someone was magically inclined. There was always a tension in the air, a crackle that ran across his skin and left the hairs on his arms standing on end. 

This was one such circumstance.

Wraith paused his bathing to snap his eyes up to the door as the bell tinkled, and Alfredo felt the telltale shiver of magic whisper through his veins. He felt it tug at him, testing his resistance; it didn’t hold, its grip sliding off of him like water off of a duck’s back, but he could sense the edge of temptation and persuasion in it that would have gripped him if it had held. 

Interesting. Geoff hadn’t been kidding.

Through Wraith’s eyes, Alfredo watched as the man entered his humble little shop and looked around at the cluttered space - it was orderly and mostly neat, but filled to the brim with trinkets, potions, and spells in bottles. There were mundane things too for the non-magic folk, but Alfredo tended to draw a very particular audience, the kind that appreciated and used magic, and he liked it that way. It was tiring to have customers snicker and poke fun.

This man, though, clearly knew his magic. He gave the table of silver instruments and tools a wide berth on his way up to the counter, where Alfredo perched on his stool, idly leaning against the counter as he brewed a potion behind it. Alfredo lowered his ladle as he approached, and he offered a polite smile.

“Uh, hi,” the man said. “I’m Jeremy, Geoff’s friend? Is Alfredo here?”

“Yep, he’s right here.” Alfredo set the ladle back into the potion to let it bubble away for the moment. It was time to give Jeremy his full attention. “So, Geoff said you were after a job, right?”

“If you’ve got any spaces, yeah.”

Alfredo tilted his head, considering him. This was about more than just helping Jeremy out; Alfredo needed to know what he could do, too. He wasn’t exactly swimming in spare cash, so he needed Jeremy to be worth the hire, as cruel as it sounded. “Do you know much about crafting?” Alfredo asked. “Potions or spells, either’s fine.”

Jeremy shrugged. “I’ve dabbled in both. I’m not great at either, but I can follow a recipe. I’m happy to do anything, though. Fuck, man, I’ll just be a cleaner if you want.”

“Well, that is part of the job,” Alfredo said, chuckling, “but I’m not gonna hire you to just clean. If you know your way around a cauldron and a spell or two, that works for me.”

A grin broke out across Jeremy’s face. “Seriously? Holy shit, _thank you.”_

He shook Alfredo's hand excitedly when it was offered; that fizzle of electricity shot through Alfredo's fingertips again at the contact, and he knew now that it was Jeremy’s glamour trying to soothe him into accepting its owner, but he shrugged it off. He liked Jeremy anyway.

Though he _was_ curious to find out more.

* * *

Alfredo didn’t pry just yet, though. It was rude to outright ask things like that, and he didn’t want to put off his new employee before they’d even started. Jeremy had given him the same courtesy, so he was prepared to wait until it naturally came up in conversation.

That didn’t stop Wraith from trying, though. 

His familiar took to Jeremy immediately, first nosing his hand when Jeremy offered it, and then nuzzling against him at every opportunity. Alfredo felt the crackle of magic between them when Jeremy stroked him, and he silently urged Wraith to keep his distance; he didn’t like people knowing how important Wraith was to him, just in case anyone malicious wanted to use that against him. He didn’t exactly have any enemies - Alfredo had been very careful to remain neutral in his career, preferring simply to sell rather than take sides - but there was always the chance someone would try to bend someone of his talents to their will.

Of course, Wraith ignored him. He brushed aside Alfredo's worried thoughts with a neat flick of his tail, and then continued to press himself against Jeremy.

“He’s friendly,” Jeremy laughed, pausing his potion brewing to give Wraith another scritch behind the ears. “What’s his name?”

“Wraith,” Alfredo said, “and he’s an asshole.” 

_You’re being selfish,_ he thought at Wraith; all Alfredo could see was Jeremy’s legs and, occasionally, his upper body when he crouched down to pet Wraith. It was hard to focus his limited sight on what he was doing instead - carefully weaving a spell into a bottle - when Wraith's view was the strongest; it was easier when he was dozing on a windowsill, thanks to his eyes being closed.

To his credit, Wraith did close his eyes in response, allowing Alfredo to work with what he had. It wasn’t much, but it was better than only seeing Jeremy’s jeans.

“I don’t think you’re an asshole,” Jeremy said brightly to Wraith; satisfaction pulsed across their bond, and Alfredo rolled his eyes. “You’re _adorable.”_

“He’s only being adorable because he thinks you’re a weak link.”

“Well, maybe I _am_ weak for cats.” Wraith's purr rumbled throughout the room as Jeremy scratched under his chin, and all the while little sparks crackled through the spots where the two touched. It was even accompanied by little snapping and popping sounds - subtle, but obvious to a trained ear. “What’s so special about this little guy, anyway?”

Alfredo had the feeling that Jeremy knew already, and he was only asking to be polite. “He’s my familiar,” he said, “and still an asshole.”

“Cool! Well, maybe not the last part.” Jeremy booped Wraith on the nose, then left him alone so he could stir his potion.

“What about you?” Alfredo asked. “Geoff told me a little about your situation, but I’d like to hear it from you, if you’re happy to talk about it.”

There was a beat of silence, and it was long enough that Wraith looked up for Alfredo, seeking Jeremy’s face. “Yeah, sure. It’s not very interesting, though.” He sat up and adjusted his grip on his ladle, continuing to stir and work the potion while he spoke. “I just… have a weird natural glamour. It attracts people no matter what I actually want it to do, and basically just… makes them lean towards what I want, if that makes sense.”

“Huh. Have you ever tried a spell or potion or something to tone it down?”

“They don’t stay,” Jeremy sighed. “Trust me, I’ve tried, but it never stays put.” He huffed a quiet, humourless laugh. “I guess that’s part of the curse of it.”

Alfredo made a mental note to look into it. By the sounds of things, Jeremy had left no stone unturned, but Alfredo wondered if he could maybe find something to ease it just a bit. It wasn’t a problem here, of course, where Alfredo was resistant to the glamour’s effects, but Alfredo found himself wondering what that might be like in everyday life, where, more often than not, people would simply be drawn to Jeremy. It would be a difficult one to crack, or even make a dent in, especially since it seemed to have been bound to Jeremy for many years - his whole life, by the sounds of things.

“I’m sorry,” Alfredo said simply, quietly. “That sounds like quite the burden to bear.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy fell silent again, seemingly lost in thought, until Wraith bumped his nose against the side of his hand. “Hey, Alfredo, could you come and give me a hand with this potion? I wanna make sure I’m doing the next step right.”

It was an obvious deflection, but Alfredo didn’t question it. He simply joined Jeremy at his cauldron, and leaned over his shoulder to couch him through the recipe. 

* * *

The crush hit him all at once, without warning. Alfredo was minding his own business in his little flat, making himself some dinner, when he caught himself thinking about Jeremy. 

He’d been there for a couple of weeks now, and he’d quite comfortably settled in. Already, Alfredo had seen his skills dramatically improve, and that was just with a few books to follow and a little bit of teaching. As potions sold, Jeremy replenished them, slowly at first but then quicker as he began to recognise what was going out of the door. He and Alfredo got along like a house on fire, much to Alfredo's delight; he hadn’t expected to at the start, but Jeremy was just so cheerful that it was hard not to like him.

The best part was, Alfredo knew it had nothing to do with the glamour. Every time it reached for him, it simply slipped off without finding a foothold; Alfredo felt it at the edge of his mind, and it was easy to shrug off. It was a very different sensation to his own glamour, which he could always feel across his eyes and under his skin - unintrusive, but present.

He simply liked Jeremy because of who he was.

And, unluckily for him, he realised this just as he was about to turn the hob on. He paused just beforehand, his pot of pasta hovering above where there should be a naked flame, as he realised just how fond he was of Jeremy. 

His laugh made Alfredo smile, and his presence brightened up his quiet little corner of town. The once cramped, dark shop had a new lease of life; there were no physical differences to it, but it simply felt _lighter,_ more spacious. It was like Jeremy had somehow brought the sun itself into Alfredo’s shop, and hidden it away so that it would continue to warm the place even in his absence. He knew Wraith felt that part too, and a glamour like Jeremy’s or Alfredo's shouldn’t affect an animal, magical or mundane. 

Alfredo set the pot on the stove, and lit the flame with a click of his fingers. 

So, he felt a certain fondness for Jeremy. That changed things a little bit, though how much was up in the air. It depended on how much he wanted to rock the boat, really, and then how Jeremy reacted on top of that. It was a bit of a conundrum, to say the least, and Alfredo wasn’t entirely sure how to treat it. 

Wraith pressed at his mind and, of course, showed him an image of Jeremy. 

“Shut up,” Alfredo growled. “It would be inappropriate. I’m his boss.”

Wraith just pressed harder, until Alfredo flicked him away with a thought. Smug and amused, his familiar settled on the table to Alfredo’s side, and he simply acted as his eyes while he cooked - though Alfredo knew he was waiting, curious to see what Alfredo was thinking. 

Alfredo was firmly thinking about dinner, he decided, and not his attractive employee.

* * *

In reality, that was easier said than done.

Now that Alfredo had noticed his attraction to Jeremy, it was difficult to _stop_ noticing it. Thanks to Wraith's’s eyes, he knew that Jeremy was handsome, but considering how much Wraith let his gaze wander, he didn’t often find himself staring at Jeremy’s face. He knew Jeremy had some muscle, because he hauled things around the shop with ease when they needed moving. The thing that caught Alfredo, though, the thing that held his attention and had him smiling like a fool whenever Jeremy spoke: the man himself.

Jeremy was funny, he was warm, and he was kind. He had a curious nature that sparked Alfredo's desire to teach him whatever he’d set his mind to. Wraith adored him - and Jeremy had admitted that he loved cats, which was essential really, considering the circumstances - and he and Jeremy had simply clicked in a way that Alfredo hadn’t experienced with anyone else. It was a delightful little thing, to feel such a connection, and Alfredo wanted to see where it could go.

So, when they closed up for the door, he cleared his throat. “Hey, Jeremy? Do you have any plans tonight?”

“No, I was just gonna go home, have some dinner. Nothing special. Why?”

Alfredo shifted on his feet. “Do you wanna maybe hang out? My place is just upstairs, I can order us a pizza.”

Wraith perked up, zeroing in on Jeremy’s face so they could both see his reaction. To their delight, Jeremy beamed at Alfredo - and was that fleeting emotion passing over his face just a little bit of hope? “How can I say no to pizza? I’m in.”

Alfredo raised an eyebrow. “A meaty pizza? Or do you prefer a veggie one?”

 _“Of course_ it’s gotta be a meaty pizza.”

“Ah, a man after my own heart.” Alfredo laughed it off like a joke, but his heart did skip a beat even at his own phrasing. Jeremy either didn’t notice, or didn’t react.

Once they had finished up downstairs and were on their way up to Alfredo's apartment, Wraith leaped up onto Alfredo's shoulder to be his eyes while he ordered on his phone. He sent a silent pulse of gratefulness across their link; it would have been a struggle otherwise, and he didn’t want to give it away if he could avoid it. With that done, he led Jeremy into his cosy little flat, and went through the usual routine: get his guest settled, offer a drink, ask what he’d like to watch, if anything.

Jeremy sunk into the squishy couch with a pleased little noise, wiggling back and forth as he got settled. He accepted Alfredo's offer of a coke, fresh and cold from the fridge, and he elected to stick some random channel on the TV while they waited for their food. Alfredo's didn’t even try to decipher what it was from the sound; it was background noise to him, because he was far more concerned with his company. Wraith was too, judging by the way he’d made himself at home on Jeremy’s lap.

_How am I supposed to look at him if you’re over there?_

As usual, all Alfredo got in return was smug amusement. Wraith wasn’t going to move, that much was obvious. Fantastic. 

“Oh, shit,” Jeremy said, sitting up a little, “you have an Xbox, too? I didn’t know you were into gaming. Most other magic people I’ve met didn’t do too great with this kind of stuff.”

“Some people find that their magic messes with it a little,” Alfredo agreed, “but since mine’s more potions and spells, it doesn’t so much.” He was actually quite the tinkerer, and had taken apart more than his fair share of electronics just to see how mundane people made it work. It was its own kind of magic, really, and Alfredo was nothing if not inquisitive and determined. He raised an eyebrow at Jeremy. “You like video games?”

“Love ‘em.” Jeremy sat up eagerly. “My glamour _does_ sometimes mean it misbehaves a little, but it’s worth it. Some of the stories out there are just _amazing.”_

This was a good, easy conversation - something to keep Alfredo's mind off of how comfortable this was, how _domestic_ it was. He ached to have more nights like this, though he was trying not to get too ahead of himself just yet. They were just hanging out; this wasn’t a date, as much as Alfredo wished otherwise, so he lost himself in their idle chatter, as he Jeremy’s favourite games, the books that stuck with him, and what movies he’d seen recently. 

And then Alfredo’s phone buzzed: the pizza was here.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, standing up. Wraith uncurled himself to neatly hop up onto Alfredo's shoulder again, though he paused to rub his cheek against Jeremy’s arm on his way out. He swept up his wallet from the coffee table, then made his way back downstairs.

When he returned, pizza box in hand, Alfredo ended up freezing in the doorway.

Through Wraith’s eyes, Alfredo stared at Jeremy. He made such a handsome picture, even in such a relaxed state: he’d settled back into the couch once more, and he idly swiped along on his phone to entertain himself while Alfredo and Wraith were gone. The low light in the room hit Jeremy’s cheeks just right, and Alfredo found himself tracing the line of his beard up Jeremy’s jaw. Even now, Alfredo could pick out the crinkles at the corners of his eyes that spoke volumes at how frequently he laughed. 

Alfredo was, well and truly, fucked.

Jeremy glanced up, and he offered Alfredo a warm smile. “How much do I owe you for the pizza?”

Alfredo shook himself out of his stupor, and made his way back over to the couch. “Not a cent. My treat.”

“You sure?”

“Positive. Consider it a thank you for making work so enjoyable since you started.”

Alfredo set the box on the table and opened it up, using it as a way to avoid looking at Jeremy - though Wraith climbing onto the back of the couch and settling there did most of the job for him. He blinked, and his vision darkened and blurred, leaving him with his familiarity with his apartment. 

Jeremy’s arm landed on Alfredo's arm, and he jumped. His palm was warm, even through Alfredo's sleeve.

“I should be the one thanking _you,_ Alfredo,” he said - and, oh god, he squeezed Alfredo’s arm, and Alfredo was pretty sure he was about to die. He needed to get this crush under control. “You offered me a job when I needed it badly, and you’ve taught me so much since I started here. And, on top of that, it’s _fun_ working with you. I like it here, _really_ like it here. So… thanks.”

Before Alfredo knew what he was doing, he laid his hand over Jeremy’s. “It’s a pleasure having you around, Jeremy.”

Something passed between them for a beat - Alfredo almost thought that Jeremy was about to kiss him - but neither of them acted upon it. The tension ebbed away, and Jeremy leaned forwards to help himself to a slice of pizza. Alfredo joined him, almost fumbling with how jittery he felt after that moment. 

He thought about it long into the evening, after they’d finished eating and even once Jeremy had said his goodbyes. Once Jeremy was gone, Alfredo pressed his back against the door, and slowly let himself slip down to sit on the floor. His bumped his head on the door with a deliberate thump. Wraith brushed his nose against Alfredo’s hand, curious, and Alfredo lazily lifted it to scratch between his ears. It brought him some comfort, at least.

Wraith pressed an image of Jeremy into his mind, coloured with curiosity. 

“I want him to come back too, buddy,” Alfredo sighed.

* * *

Alfredo couldn’t tell if it was wishful thinking, or if Jeremy felt the same way. Little things began adding up over the following weeks, things that gave him pause. Jeremy began bringing breakfast in the mornings, starting with the morning after their pizza, and the atmosphere in the shop became even more relaxed as they laughed and joked around. They traded little touches back and forth, too - a brush against Jeremy’s elbow here, a warm, steady hand on Alfredo’s shoulder there. Every time, it made Alfredo's whole body tingle.

It came to the point, a couple of weeks later, that Alfredo had had enough. He wanted to say something, even if it resulted in Jeremy letting him down. At the very least, Alfredo would have an answer.

He waited until they’d closed up for the day, and then he cleared his throat. “Jeremy?”

Wraith , sensing his nervousness, stirred from his nap enough to observe the room for him; Alfredo watched as Jeremy turned, his gaze flitting back and forth until it settled on him at his desk. “What’s up?”

“Come take a seat, I wanna talk to you about something.”

“Is everything okay?” Jeremy pulled up the spare chair. He looked nervous. “Did I fuck something up?”

“No! No, not at all.” Alfredo exhaled, long and slow. “It actually might be me who’s about to. If… if this isn’t something you want to hear, please, we can pretend like it never happened. I don’t want to discourage you from staying here.”

Jeremy frowned. “Alfredo…”

Alfredo’s words came out in a rush, before he could help himself. “I like you a lot, Jeremy, as more than a friend. I’ve really appreciated your company in here for the past couple of months now. You’re hilarious, wonderful, and a delight to work with.” He paused to rub the back of his neck; he could feel heat rising in his cheeks. “I, uh, didn’t know how much I’d come to like you, but I do. If that’s not something you’re comfortable with, forget I ever said anything and we can go back to our usual routine tomorrow, if you want.”

Jeremy was deathly silent, and it was beginning to worry him. He hadn’t said a word, hadn’t tried to interrupt - just nothing. His expression, what Alfredo could see of it, was unreadable.

And then Jeremy’s shoulders slumped. “Alfredo… that’s really nice of you and everything, but I know it’s my glamour.”

Alfredo blinked. “What? Wait-”

“Things like this have happened before,” Jeremy said, steamrolling ahead now. “People have confessed feelings they didn’t feel when I wasn’t around, said they were fonder than they really were - it happens. It’s part of my curse, I get it. I just…” He trailed off, defeated. “I thought something might be different this time, but I should know better by now. My glamour fucks up _everything.”_

Alfredo didn’t know how to tactfully interrupt. He had never been that great at words, not when he spoke aloud, and this was no different. 

All he could summon were three simple words.

“I’m blind, Jeremy.”

Jeremy’s gaze snapped up to him. “What?”

“I’m blind.” Alfredo clicked his fingers, and the magic over his eyes fizzled away. The scars, thick and rough, faded into view; Wraith watched as Jeremy stared in pure shock. This time, Alfredo didn’t mind someone looking at him so openly. “I like you for you, Jeremy. Your glamour never affected me because of how you look, and I’ve got a natural resistance to magic anyway.” He gestured up towards his face. “Trust me, getting this thing to stick was always a problem.”

“Huh,” Jeremy said. “That glamour was good. How did you get it to stay if you're resistant, though?”

“Geoff,” Alfredo said, chuckling when Jeremy nodded in understanding. “It's not so bad, though. I haven't changed the layout of this place since, uh, _it_ happened, and... well, Wraith’s my familiar. We have a close enough bond that I just use his eyes most of the time.” 

Jeremy shifted his attention to meet Wraith's eyes, and a bolt of want shot through Alfredo. It was odd to know that Jeremy wasn’t looking at him physically, but he still was. Even now, so long after he’d lost his vision, Alfredo wasn’t sure what he preferred: for people who knew to look at him, or for them to look at Wraith. Either way, it was nice to make eye contact with Jeremy for once, and to know that he was looking at _him._

“I had no idea,” Jeremy murmured.

“It was on purpose,” Alfredo admitted. “I don’t like that fact getting out too much. Some people think it means they can take advantage, or that I need extra help. I don’t. I’m more than capable of handling myself, and I deal with it just fine. I…” He shrugged a shoulder. “I didn’t want to tell you until we were close enough.”

Jeremy settled back on his stool, his gaze sliding away from Alfredo's to stare at the wall. “Huh. That’s fair.”

“So…” Alfredo shifted a little, nervous. “My feelings are genuine, Jeremy. Magic has nothing to do with it - with them, or with my decision to tell you. I already wanted to ask you on a date.”

“Well, in that case… yeah.” 

It felt like a lightning bolt shot through Alfredo. He sat up straight, the centre of his chest buzzing with all of that captured electricity. “Really?”

“Yeah!” Jeremy was grinning, and a little laugh spilled out, like he couldn’t contain it. “Absolutely.”

“What, uh, what do you wanna do?”

“How about part two of our pizza night?”

“Deal.”

* * *

And so they found themselves with part two, and then part three and part four, and before they knew it, the days had rolled over into weeks together, and there wasn’t a single bump in the road. Their relationship stayed neatly outside of work - though there was plenty of fond gazing and a few stolen moments when the shop was empty. More often than not, Jeremy accompanied Alfredo back upstairs after closing time, even if he didn’t plan to stay the night.

It led to moments like this: sweetly kissing Jeremy on his couch, indulging in the rough brush of stubble against beard and the warmth of Jeremy’s hand against his jaw. Whenever they started, Wraith always flicked his tail and excused himself to another room, where he firmly closed his mind off from Alfredo's. It left Alfredo relying on touch and sound alone during these experiences, but he was a little too busy to be annoyed anyway.

Jeremy was a warm, solid weight in his lap. It brought them up to equal height just a little easier, and Alfredo had to admit that he was a fan of the way Jeremy pressed him back against the cushions. He braced his forearms either side of Alfredo's head, and the sensation of Jeremy caging him in like that was just perfect. Heat pulsed lazily through his veins, encouraged by their eager kissing.

When Jeremy sat back for a breath and leaned his weight directly on Alfredo's groin, though, a choked noise tumbled out of Alfredo's throat - choked, because he tried to stop it as it spilled over. He felt Jeremy freeze on his lap, and his cheeks began to burn.

“You doing okay there, 'Fredo?” Jeremy asked. Alfredo could hear the laughter in his voice. Asshole.

“I’m doing _f-fine_ .” Alfredo’s voice cracked embarrassingly when Jeremy rocked his hips, applying just enough pressure to make it clear that it wasn’t a mistake. “Hey, come on, that’s not fair, I was- _I was talking, Jeremy._ ”

That was definitely deliberate - again. Jeremy settled in again, winding his arms around Alfredo's neck and threading his fingers into his hair. “Yeah? What were you saying?” he prompted, just as he rolled against Alfredo again.

Alfredo groaned and thumped the back of his head against the couch. “You’re such an asshole.”

Jeremy laughed, and Alfredo couldn’t help chuckling along with him. “Fair,” Jeremy admitted. He kept up a gentle, teasing pacing now, idly grinding down against Alfredo's dick, but Alfredo could feel that he wasn’t the only one who was affected. Jeremy was hard too, and there was a subtle increase in his breathing that Alfredo had started to notice when they did this. That in particular was a giveaway that Jeremy was worked up; Alfredo didn’t need any visual cues.

He just needed sound, touch, and Jeremy’s confirmation.

“Are you trying to...?” Alfredo said, squeezing Jeremy’s hips.

“Start things? Maybe I am,” Jeremy shot back playfully, wiggling where he sat. “You’re the one who kissed first, though.”

“Maybe I was.” Alfredo grinned, completely unashamed. Jeremy was a nice kisser, so how was Alfredo supposed to resist? “What’re you gonna do about it?”

Rather than reply verbally, Jeremy simply leaned in to kiss him again, though this time it felt _hotter._ Jeremy squeezed Alfredo's shoulders through the thin material of his shirt, and sparks raced along Alfredo's skin; if those sparks had been visible, his whole body would have been lit up like a Christmas tree. Jeremy slowed his teasing grinding, changing instead to a more deliberate press, and Alfredo couldn’t help the quiet whimper that was muffled in the kiss.

Alfredo wanted to hear that from Jeremy, too. He couldn’t see him, so he wanted to _hear_ him.

He wasn’t shy about what he wanted. As Jeremy nipped at Alfredo's lower lip, Alfredo skimmed his fingers along the hem of Jeremy’s shirt, tracing the strip of skin just underneath. He felt a puff of breath at his lips; Jeremy was trying to focus on their kissing, but he was also aware of Alfredo’s intention now. 

A smile made Alfred’s lips curve upwards. Those soft noises were what Alfredo craved, but they also ruined him.

He was desperate to hear more of them.

His hand continued its path around, flicking the buckle of Jeremy’s belt playfully, but then coming to rest over the bulge of his dick. Alfredo pressed his palm against it and squeezed, and Jeremy’s composure finally broke with a shuddery gasp. He rocked forwards against Alfredo’s hand with a soft sound, chasing more sweet pressure, and Alfredo was more than happy to give it. Jeremy’s whole body rolled with his movements; Alfredo could feel it in the way he shifted on his lap, and it was, quite simply, the hottest thing he could imagine.

“Fuck, 'Fredo,” Jeremy hissed, resting his forehead against Alfredo’s. “Keep that up and I’m gonna come in my pants like a teenager.”

“Hot,” Alfredo said, playful. 

“Jesus.” Jeremy laughed breathlessly. “I mean, sure, but I haven’t got enough spare underwear if I ruin these.”

“Mm, then next time, I guess.” 

Alfredo gave him one last fond rub through his jeans, then used both hands to work Jeremy’s belt through the buckle. As much as he was tempted to keep going like this - or maybe just tease Jeremy - he was also desperate to get things moving. He shoved Jeremy’s jeans and underwear down just enough to get his hand around Jeremy’s dick, thumbing the head on the first touch to gather the precome that was already beading there. Jeremy shivered as Alfredo dragged his fingers from base to tip and back again, stroking Jeremy nice and steady.

“Fuck…” Jeremy’s fingers tightened on Alfredo's shoulders again, and then one dropped to fumble at Alfredo's belt, too. “Hold on, hold on, let me get you, too.”

Well, Alfredo wouldn’t say no to that. He was achingly hard, after all, and Jeremy did have rather nice hands.

Reluctantly, Alfredo let go of Jeremy long enough to help him out, but once his underwear had been pushed down to his thighs, all bets were off. Alfredo eagerly took hold of Jeremy’s dick again to get back down to business, and he gladly met Jeremy in a clumsy kiss as they surged to meet each other again. It was desperate and needy, and it was perfect. 

It was also hard to focus on it as Jeremy started jacking him off. Neither of them were in the mood for slow and teasing now; Jeremy stroked him quickly, leaving Alfredo half slipping from the kiss so he could try - and fail - to catch his breath. 

It was perfect.

“Fuck, Alfredo,” Jeremy hissed into his mouth. He twitched and shifted above Alfredo, rolling forwards to meet Alfredo’s fist impatiently; he was close, Alfredo was sure of it. 

Sure enough, with just a few more strokes and squeezes, Alfredo felt the first telltale splash of warmth against his palm, and he tightened his grip on Jeremy’s dick to drag out the pleasure for him. Jeremy buried his face into Alfredo’s shoulder with a rough groan, jerking forwards against him as he came. He could feel Jeremy’s breath puffing against his jaw as he rode it out, leaving a sticky spot against the front of Alfredo’s shirt that he couldn’t have cared less about.

It didn’t matter that Jeremy’s hand had slowed as he came; Alfredo hadn’t even noticed. Jeremy was hot enough already that Alfredo could have easily come without much more. He could feel himself teetering on the edge, so sharp that he whimpered when Jeremy gently squeezed his dick again.

“Shit,” Jeremy breathed, pressing a kiss against his cheek. He shivered again as an aftershock ran through him. “Fuck, you’re hot.”

“You - _ah_ \- you are.” 

How could Jeremy be so cocky right after coming? Alfredo barely had the ability to think or speak when Jeremy had his hand on his dick, so how the hell was he stringing a sentence together? It was _impressive._

Jeremy rose up to kiss him harder, pressing him back into the couch, and another whine spilled out of Alfredo without his permission. He’d be embarrassed if he was with anyone else but Jeremy. 

He melted as Jeremy took him apart stroke by stroke, the motion flowing in a way that left Alfredo’s toes curling. All he could do was clutch at Jeremy’s arms and hips for dear life, his breath coming out in short, sharp gasps as Jeremy drove him ever higher, twisting just right at the head before dragging his fist back down again in an almost too tight grasp. Alfredo's toes curled against the carpet as he arched, as if he was trying to get closer to Jeremy, but the man himself kept him grounded right there on the couch, right where he wanted to be.

Alfredo's orgasm washed over him in waves - slow at first, and then building in intensity until all he could do was cry out wordlessly and hold Jeremy tighter. A shudder ran through him from head to toe as he spilled over Jeremy’s fingers; little shocks lingered as Jeremy kept touching him, waiting until Alfredo was squirming before he let go.

And then he was wrapped up in another kiss, their moans muffled against each other’s lips. Neither wanted to pull apart from the other, so they simply didn’t, not until they were desperate to breathe and their tongues were tacky from needing a drink of water.

“Fuck,” Jeremy gasped, breathlessly laughing into Alfredo's collar. 

“I agree,” Alfredo replied lazily. He occupied himself with stroking Jeremy’s back - with his come free hand, that was - and tracing the bumps of his spine through his shirt. “As nice as this is, though, I do wanna clean up. You got come on my shirt.”

“You got come on mine, too,” Jeremy retorted, snickering again. He peeled himself away from Alfredo and sat up; Alfredo felt Jeremy reach down to pluck at the hem of his own shirt to inspect the damage. “Mind if I borrow your washing machine?”

“You can do what you like with it as long as you throw my shirt in, too.”

Jeremy hummed thoughtfully, drumming his fingers on his knees. “Well…”

“I’ll get the shower warmed up for us both?”

“Deal.”

They disentangled themselves, and Alfredo left his clothes in a heap on the couch. Wraith didn’t emerge from Alfredo's bedroom yet, but Alfredo didn’t need him to make his way through his apartment; he knew the layout and where the squeaky floorboards were, and that was more than enough to make his way to the bathroom. He got the shower going and the hot water turned up as high as it could go, so when Jeremy joined him a few minutes later, it was already nice and steamy for them both. They traded kisses and quiet, fond laughter, and as Jeremy stole Alfredo's soap, the fluttering in Alfredo's chest settled, like a bird come home to roost. He knew that he was smiling like a fool, but he quite simply didn’t care. 

His smile stayed even as they settled in for the night - Wraith was with them now, forcing his way into the cuddling with a little grumble - and as his familiar blinked up at Jeremy, Alfredo saw that same bright warmth written all over Jeremy’s face, too. 

* * *

It was only when Geoff showed up that Alfredo realised he’d never actually been by while Jeremy had been working. He’d visited on occasion, but it had usually been when Jeremy had gone home, or when he was out on his lunch break; Alfredo didn’t know if that was on purpose, or if it was purely by chance. 

Either way, he got to see Geoff’s delight when he spotted Jeremy in the shop this time. Wraith watched with rapt attention, caught between two of his favourite visitors.

“Jeremy!” Geoff greeted, sweeping him up in a typical back-slapping hug. “How’s it going?”

“Great, thanks, Geoff!” Jeremy beamed at him.

“I take it you got in then, huh?”

“That was months ago, Geoff,” Alfredo interrupted, idly stirring a potion. “Jeremy’s been here for… shit, how long now?”

“Uh…” Jeremy looked up at the ceiling, as if it would give him the answer. “Well, we’ve been together for two of ‘em, so-”

“Wait, wait, wait.” Geoff held his hands up, and all sets of eyes returned to him. “You’ve _been together_ for _two months_? The fuck does that mean?”

“You know,” Jeremy said, “dating.”

Alfredo realised, with dawning horror, that he’d forgotten to tell Geoff. He’d been the one to introduce them, the one to bring Jeremy to Alfredo's doorstep for a job, and he just… hadn’t let him know anything, up to and including their relationship.

Well, shit.

“You,” Geoff said, pointing an accusing finger in Alfredo's direction, “owe me a fucking explanation.”

Alfredo decided to play it cool - well, it probably came across more like playing dumb, but he was already in too deep either way. “I thought I told you that I hired him.”

“Not that! The dating part! When did that happen?”

“I forgot to bring it up, too,” Jeremy said, raising a hand, but Geoff just flapped at him to brush him off.

“How?” Geoff demanded. “This isn’t- this isn’t some glamour thing, is it?”

Jeremy made a grumbly little noise, and Alfredo shot Geoff a frown. “You know as well as I do that magic struggles with me, Geoff. Jeremy’s glamour never affected me; it’s one of the reasons why I hired him. The relationship came after, _without_ the influence of his glamour.”

Geoff had the good grace to look a little bit guilty, at least. “Sorry,” he said, glancing towards Jeremy, who nodded in silent acceptance. “But still! Neither of you told me you were dating, you both just went quiet!”

“It’s not a very exciting story,” Alfredo said, resting his chin in his hand. “To us, maybe, but it was just two people getting together.”

“You can still tell me over dinner,” Geoff decided. “Jack and I are having a barbecue this weekend, and you’re both invited. The usual guys are gonna be there, and yes, I have extra chicken for Wraith.”

Wraith shot up to his paws so quickly that Alfredo felt the energy of it as if he’d made the action himself. The ladle for his potion jerked a little in his grip as the excitement faded back to Wraith’s side of their connection. He leaped from windowsill to counter, a purr rattling his frame as he stared Geoff down. Alfredo grimaced as Wraith stood upright again, taking a moment to regain his balance after the jump; it always left him feeling a little queasy when it was anything more than a jump upwards.

Geoff laughed, and he scratched Wraith behind the ears. “Don’t worry, buddy, I wouldn’t forget dinner for you, too.”

“I’ll be there,” Jeremy promised, grinning. “You in, Alfredo?”

“Of course I am. I can’t let you two starve.” Alfredo cocked his head, playfully thoughtful. “Did you know how much Jeremy can eat, Geoff? Because it surprised me.”

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. “Says the man who can eat a whole box of donuts over the course of a day.”

Alfredo laughed, rocking back in his chair. “Okay, fair. You’d better have plenty to go around then, Geoff.”

“I’m planning a feast,” Geoff promised, snickering. The bell rang behind him as a customer stepped inside, and he cursed under his breath before offering a quick wave to the two of them. “I’ll text you details later. Have a good one, guys.”

“You too,” Alfredo said, still chuckling.

As the customer browsed the store, Jeremy skirted around the shelves to make his way back to his own potion, which had been bubbling away in the corner. It was back to business as usual now, almost like nothing had changed, except now there was a bright light to fill Alfredo's tiny shop. It came in the form of Jeremy’s laugh and his chatter as the customer approached him to ask for advice, and Alfredo found himself closing his eyes to just… feel.

There was Wraith at the edge of his mind, gently purring. He sensed Jeremy across the room, mixed in amongst the dots of magic that represented his bottled spells, and the glimmer that meant the customer had the potential to be magical, though maybe they didn't realise quite yet. There were even wisps of energy that followed the path Geoff had taken, lingering in the air. 

The most important part of all, though, was the empty, comforting space surrounding all of those pinpricks of light, and the way that Jeremy and Wraith both filled it.


End file.
